Prepare to see a side of Romania that you have not seen before. This year, take a journey to the Carpathian mountains, where the bears rule the trees and land. Bears of the Carpathian is a photographic project and film which takes you on an adventure high above the mountains, swiftly through the forest and along the grassy plains where you meet the bears which inhabit this land. From image to image and scene to scene, you are invited to watch the bears eating, fighting and what they must face to survive everyday life. This breathtaking project will keep you on the edge of your seats as you experience the full force of Romania’s natural world.
Follow my day to day diary entry that tells you all about the days media!
Follow my day to day diary entry that tells you all about the days media!
Day 1:
The day of travelling was long, despite the flight only being 3 hours long. The end of the trip was made stress free however knowing that the Oyster driver would be waiting with a sign upon my arrival. Once I had been greeted and met another of the volunteers we hit the road and travelled the 3 hours from Bucharest to Brasov. The journey was long however it didn’t seem it as we passed fields of sunflowers and looked at the amazing architecture.
We were greeted by Razvan and the other volunteers which was lovely. We went into the flat and left our things before being taken into the town for our Oyster meal treat. The food was great and everyone was very kind and got along very well. We got back to the flat and went straight to bed.
The next morning, myself and the two other new bear volunteers woke up and got ready to leave at 9:00am with Razvan for a tour around the bear sanctuary. Here we were told what we would be doing and also got to see some of the areas that aren’t open to the public. We did of course come face to face with lots of Brown Bears. We arrived just after a feed in one of the enclosures and this meant we saw about 14 bears at once. We watched them for a while and two decided to go for a swim and play fight which was very entertaining to watch. We were reminded constantly of how badly the bears were treated before they were rescued at the sanctuary and this made the first experience even more special as you could see how they were clearly in such a happy and healthy state now.
We returned from the sanctuary and Razvan went through our packs with us which were waiting for us on the bedside tables along with a book about the bear sanctuary. After this we walked into town and Razvan told us everywhere that was good if we wanted to eat out or what the best things are to see around Brasov as well as the trips that were on offer to us. We then returned home and we did our own things. I personally sorted through my photographs, bought some food from the supermarket so I could cook for the week and relaxed.
Day 2:
Day 2 was our day for an excursion. Myself, Ivy and Miriam who arrived on the same day went with the other girls that were already here to Draculas’ castle. This was such a good opportunity to bond with everyone and despite being from such different places we all really hit it off and were taking lots of photographs around the castle! The castle wasn’t as spooky as I thought but it was still really interesting. There was an area on the outside of the castle which posed a lovely view, so naturally we all took it in turns taking pictures with one another. After we left the castle we drove onto another castle called Rasnov. This had such spectacular views that we were all blown away by. Of course we again took many photographs! We arrived home and earned a well-deserved chill out. After this, myself and Morgan another girl here volunteering with children decided to tackle the climb to the Brasov sign. This looked impossible, and with a large camera bag and tripod it almost was, however we made it to the top and it felt amazing. We made it just in time for the ‘golden hour’ where the light was warm and soft and touching the town making it look even more beautiful. After this I returned home and almost collapsed onto the bed. It was a brilliant day!
The day of travelling was long, despite the flight only being 3 hours long. The end of the trip was made stress free however knowing that the Oyster driver would be waiting with a sign upon my arrival. Once I had been greeted and met another of the volunteers we hit the road and travelled the 3 hours from Bucharest to Brasov. The journey was long however it didn’t seem it as we passed fields of sunflowers and looked at the amazing architecture.
We were greeted by Razvan and the other volunteers which was lovely. We went into the flat and left our things before being taken into the town for our Oyster meal treat. The food was great and everyone was very kind and got along very well. We got back to the flat and went straight to bed.
The next morning, myself and the two other new bear volunteers woke up and got ready to leave at 9:00am with Razvan for a tour around the bear sanctuary. Here we were told what we would be doing and also got to see some of the areas that aren’t open to the public. We did of course come face to face with lots of Brown Bears. We arrived just after a feed in one of the enclosures and this meant we saw about 14 bears at once. We watched them for a while and two decided to go for a swim and play fight which was very entertaining to watch. We were reminded constantly of how badly the bears were treated before they were rescued at the sanctuary and this made the first experience even more special as you could see how they were clearly in such a happy and healthy state now.
We returned from the sanctuary and Razvan went through our packs with us which were waiting for us on the bedside tables along with a book about the bear sanctuary. After this we walked into town and Razvan told us everywhere that was good if we wanted to eat out or what the best things are to see around Brasov as well as the trips that were on offer to us. We then returned home and we did our own things. I personally sorted through my photographs, bought some food from the supermarket so I could cook for the week and relaxed.
Day 2:
Day 2 was our day for an excursion. Myself, Ivy and Miriam who arrived on the same day went with the other girls that were already here to Draculas’ castle. This was such a good opportunity to bond with everyone and despite being from such different places we all really hit it off and were taking lots of photographs around the castle! The castle wasn’t as spooky as I thought but it was still really interesting. There was an area on the outside of the castle which posed a lovely view, so naturally we all took it in turns taking pictures with one another. After we left the castle we drove onto another castle called Rasnov. This had such spectacular views that we were all blown away by. Of course we again took many photographs! We arrived home and earned a well-deserved chill out. After this, myself and Morgan another girl here volunteering with children decided to tackle the climb to the Brasov sign. This looked impossible, and with a large camera bag and tripod it almost was, however we made it to the top and it felt amazing. We made it just in time for the ‘golden hour’ where the light was warm and soft and touching the town making it look even more beautiful. After this I returned home and almost collapsed onto the bed. It was a brilliant day!
Day 3:
Well, day three of course was our first day working at the sanctuary, and wow, it was amazing. We knew we were on food preparation so we left our lunch in the main building and walked to the food building. We were greeted by one of the workers who was making a start on the dry food and gave us all rubbish bags etc. I put on my gloves and started on the dairy products. It’s so true that gloves are needed if you don’t like getting anything slimy etc. on your hands. We did this from 9am until 12:30pm. The time flew by and we were talking to the workers and having a real laugh. While we were working we could see the enclosure which was home to two teenage bears who for the whole time we were there were playing and chasing each other, this was so exciting to watch as we were working. Just next to their enclosure is the wolf enclosure that was also fascinating to watch as they worked together to get the meat they had been fed. Mondays at the sanctuary are closed to visitors and this gave us the opportunity to really listen to the wildlife that Romania has to offer, from the crows to other types of birds singing, from the bears grunting and occasionally growling to the twigs and leaves breaking and rustling under their feet. It truly was a magnificent experience. As well as all this I actually forgot about the fencing and when one of the teenage bears came right up to the enclosure and was looking and sniffing me it was unreal, I could almost feel his breath on my face. That truly was an experience I’ll never forget. So the team of us consists of myself and two other volunteers, a force of workers who come and go going from job to job around the sanctuary and about 10 dogs. These dogs are so loveable and want attention all the time which we are more than willing to give them when we aren’t cutting up meat and cheese! They make the loving sanctuary complete and are also just another aspect of the sanctuary that makes you smile! We had quite a lot of free time today due to the food prep being done quickly so that gave me an opportunity to go out with my camera photographing the bears which I will be using to count towards my final year of university, and what a treat it was. The bears are so relaxed, coming and going from sight as they please and really acting as they would in the wild, it was so brilliant and I cannot wait for the rest of this experience!
Day 4:
Today was our second day working at the sanctuary and another brilliant day! Today we were doing the same jobs as yesterday but this time we were pros so we were getting it all done quicker. The weather didn’t quite compete to the 36 degrees we had yesterday but it was nice for the cooler atmosphere. Today the teenage bears were really entertaining us and the guests as they play fought and sat looking at the guests. Later I saw all the guests looking and pointing up at the sky and I realised that one of the bears had climbed right to the top of the trees and was perched on a very thin branch. To me it looked as though it would be very uncomfortable however the bear was there for at least 2 hours and so it was fine for him. We carried on with the food prep after our lunch due to there been a lot to get through. The time did fly by though. Once we returned we had a slight thunderstorm and a rain shower but it’s not surprising with the heat we have been having! I am very looking forward to what tomorrow brings!!
Well, day three of course was our first day working at the sanctuary, and wow, it was amazing. We knew we were on food preparation so we left our lunch in the main building and walked to the food building. We were greeted by one of the workers who was making a start on the dry food and gave us all rubbish bags etc. I put on my gloves and started on the dairy products. It’s so true that gloves are needed if you don’t like getting anything slimy etc. on your hands. We did this from 9am until 12:30pm. The time flew by and we were talking to the workers and having a real laugh. While we were working we could see the enclosure which was home to two teenage bears who for the whole time we were there were playing and chasing each other, this was so exciting to watch as we were working. Just next to their enclosure is the wolf enclosure that was also fascinating to watch as they worked together to get the meat they had been fed. Mondays at the sanctuary are closed to visitors and this gave us the opportunity to really listen to the wildlife that Romania has to offer, from the crows to other types of birds singing, from the bears grunting and occasionally growling to the twigs and leaves breaking and rustling under their feet. It truly was a magnificent experience. As well as all this I actually forgot about the fencing and when one of the teenage bears came right up to the enclosure and was looking and sniffing me it was unreal, I could almost feel his breath on my face. That truly was an experience I’ll never forget. So the team of us consists of myself and two other volunteers, a force of workers who come and go going from job to job around the sanctuary and about 10 dogs. These dogs are so loveable and want attention all the time which we are more than willing to give them when we aren’t cutting up meat and cheese! They make the loving sanctuary complete and are also just another aspect of the sanctuary that makes you smile! We had quite a lot of free time today due to the food prep being done quickly so that gave me an opportunity to go out with my camera photographing the bears which I will be using to count towards my final year of university, and what a treat it was. The bears are so relaxed, coming and going from sight as they please and really acting as they would in the wild, it was so brilliant and I cannot wait for the rest of this experience!
Day 4:
Today was our second day working at the sanctuary and another brilliant day! Today we were doing the same jobs as yesterday but this time we were pros so we were getting it all done quicker. The weather didn’t quite compete to the 36 degrees we had yesterday but it was nice for the cooler atmosphere. Today the teenage bears were really entertaining us and the guests as they play fought and sat looking at the guests. Later I saw all the guests looking and pointing up at the sky and I realised that one of the bears had climbed right to the top of the trees and was perched on a very thin branch. To me it looked as though it would be very uncomfortable however the bear was there for at least 2 hours and so it was fine for him. We carried on with the food prep after our lunch due to there been a lot to get through. The time did fly by though. Once we returned we had a slight thunderstorm and a rain shower but it’s not surprising with the heat we have been having! I am very looking forward to what tomorrow brings!!
Day 5
Today started out a little cooler so I packed my rain coat for working at the sanctuary as well as my sun cream, you can never be too careful! Because we had sorted through so many dairy products the previous few days for food for the bears, todays instructions were to prepare meat only. I had done a couple of meat baskets here and there previously; however, this was a whole new kettle of fish (pardon the pun). At first the meat does smell, I have to be truthfully honest and say some products do make your eyes water a little, however that soon disappears and everything is fine due to most of the food being kept in the freezers. Myself, Ivy and Miriam split the meat evenly and began taking off the packaging and putting the meat in the crates which are then shovelled out and thrown over the fence for feeding. There were chickens to sausages to eggs amongst a lot of other meats. Singing along with some music from the van that brings the food to us we soon realised it was time for lunch. The time really does fly by. We returned after lunch but not before I photographed the two teenage bears running around and play fighting, which I could honestly watch for hours! We finished up the last of the meat and had actually gotten a lot of crates finished between the three of us. Before leaving I gave all the dogs some attention which they really love and scratched behind their ears and on their bellies. We then returned back to the flat where I sat in the garden and took in evening sun and planned the weekend ahead.
Day 6:
Today was the same as the previous day with being on meat duty. Again everything ran smoothly and we admired the two young bears running, jumping, climbing and playing with one another. There isn’t much to report other than it was hot, and of course very enjoyable! That evening all the volunteers and Razvan and his girlfriend went out for a lovely Italian meal in the square as a celebration for knowing each other for a week. It was lovely and we stayed there hours talking. We then came back to the flat because the bear volunteers were up earlier than usual…
Day 7:
I can’t believe it has been an entire week in Romania since arriving! The time has flown by and I only have 3 more weeks to go! Despite this, for me, today was the best day so far! Today we got to go around with the workers and feed the bears. Well, we watched but I’d rather that than attempt to throw the heavy meat and dairy stacks over a tall fence with a spade! It was amazing to see so many bears all together at once and eating, mostly peacefully, next to one another. What I found even more fascinating is that Dika (one of the workers) who has worked at the sanctuary from day one, knew almost every single bears name. That’s amazing knowing there are well over sixty individuals! He knew their stories and all about their favourite feeding spots and so on. It was so interesting. We came across the alfa male, Urs which literally translates as ‘bear’ from Romanian, and he was absolutely huge and such a beautiful looking bear. He was very healthy and has a beautiful coat of dark fur with a light head. It was also great to see Lydia and Christie, two of the first bears at the sanctuary, it’s so great seeing how they are now and how much more relaxed and cared for they are than the life (if you can call it that) they previously had. We also went to Max’s enclosure to feed him. Max is a well-loved bear by a lot of the staff. Max is in an enclosure with a female and that is it. He is kept away from the public due to him being blind. The blindness occurred when his previous owner stabbed his eyes with pins intentionally to make him easier to control. Today Max seems happy and comfortable. He knows his enclosure extremely well from each tree to the pond to where the food truck stops. It was fascinating to watch and he is a beautiful very dark brown almost black coloured bear. The feeding took us from 8:30-12:00 due to the amount of food. We then helped the guys with the fruit for the bears and goats and donkeys that also call the sanctuary their home. We actually finished an hour early so we fed the donkeys and waited by the entrance for a ride home, it wasn’t bad waiting in the sunshine with the mountains and rolling hills as a view! Once we got back, myself and another volunteer walked into town and did the free walking tour which took 3 hours and showed us all the historic features of Brasov which were very interesting. We stopped off at the main square, the black church, the 3rd narrowest street in Europe, listened to some Dracula and Vlad history and more. This was a great way to end the day and I cannot wait for the weekends activities!
Today started out a little cooler so I packed my rain coat for working at the sanctuary as well as my sun cream, you can never be too careful! Because we had sorted through so many dairy products the previous few days for food for the bears, todays instructions were to prepare meat only. I had done a couple of meat baskets here and there previously; however, this was a whole new kettle of fish (pardon the pun). At first the meat does smell, I have to be truthfully honest and say some products do make your eyes water a little, however that soon disappears and everything is fine due to most of the food being kept in the freezers. Myself, Ivy and Miriam split the meat evenly and began taking off the packaging and putting the meat in the crates which are then shovelled out and thrown over the fence for feeding. There were chickens to sausages to eggs amongst a lot of other meats. Singing along with some music from the van that brings the food to us we soon realised it was time for lunch. The time really does fly by. We returned after lunch but not before I photographed the two teenage bears running around and play fighting, which I could honestly watch for hours! We finished up the last of the meat and had actually gotten a lot of crates finished between the three of us. Before leaving I gave all the dogs some attention which they really love and scratched behind their ears and on their bellies. We then returned back to the flat where I sat in the garden and took in evening sun and planned the weekend ahead.
Day 6:
Today was the same as the previous day with being on meat duty. Again everything ran smoothly and we admired the two young bears running, jumping, climbing and playing with one another. There isn’t much to report other than it was hot, and of course very enjoyable! That evening all the volunteers and Razvan and his girlfriend went out for a lovely Italian meal in the square as a celebration for knowing each other for a week. It was lovely and we stayed there hours talking. We then came back to the flat because the bear volunteers were up earlier than usual…
Day 7:
I can’t believe it has been an entire week in Romania since arriving! The time has flown by and I only have 3 more weeks to go! Despite this, for me, today was the best day so far! Today we got to go around with the workers and feed the bears. Well, we watched but I’d rather that than attempt to throw the heavy meat and dairy stacks over a tall fence with a spade! It was amazing to see so many bears all together at once and eating, mostly peacefully, next to one another. What I found even more fascinating is that Dika (one of the workers) who has worked at the sanctuary from day one, knew almost every single bears name. That’s amazing knowing there are well over sixty individuals! He knew their stories and all about their favourite feeding spots and so on. It was so interesting. We came across the alfa male, Urs which literally translates as ‘bear’ from Romanian, and he was absolutely huge and such a beautiful looking bear. He was very healthy and has a beautiful coat of dark fur with a light head. It was also great to see Lydia and Christie, two of the first bears at the sanctuary, it’s so great seeing how they are now and how much more relaxed and cared for they are than the life (if you can call it that) they previously had. We also went to Max’s enclosure to feed him. Max is a well-loved bear by a lot of the staff. Max is in an enclosure with a female and that is it. He is kept away from the public due to him being blind. The blindness occurred when his previous owner stabbed his eyes with pins intentionally to make him easier to control. Today Max seems happy and comfortable. He knows his enclosure extremely well from each tree to the pond to where the food truck stops. It was fascinating to watch and he is a beautiful very dark brown almost black coloured bear. The feeding took us from 8:30-12:00 due to the amount of food. We then helped the guys with the fruit for the bears and goats and donkeys that also call the sanctuary their home. We actually finished an hour early so we fed the donkeys and waited by the entrance for a ride home, it wasn’t bad waiting in the sunshine with the mountains and rolling hills as a view! Once we got back, myself and another volunteer walked into town and did the free walking tour which took 3 hours and showed us all the historic features of Brasov which were very interesting. We stopped off at the main square, the black church, the 3rd narrowest street in Europe, listened to some Dracula and Vlad history and more. This was a great way to end the day and I cannot wait for the weekends activities!
Day 10:
Today we had a day off, so we ultimately had a 3-day weekend. This was due to the driver who takes us to the sanctuary having something to do and because Ivy (another bear volunteer) was going paragliding. I went with some of the other girls to watch them paraglide and take some photographs of them. When we got home, we had a well-deserved rest. I also said goodbye to one of my friends I had made here who travelled home that morning. Morgan was working with the Child Care programme and her 3 weeks had come to an end. It was sad saying goodbye but at the same time this is what meeting new people is all about. Later that evening I wandered around town to get some photos of the square at night. Unfortunately, it rained and the outing was short lived, but it was nice to have an explore nevertheless.
Day 11:
Back to work today and today was yet again something new. This morning we went around with a couple of tours, I guess you could say our role was crowed control as it’s important to keep the group together and stop people wandering off on their own and getting too close to the fences etc. People were also asking us some questions which was really nice and I enjoyed answering them! Another great thing about the tour is that despite working there a week and talking to the workers, I still found out new information such as what happened to Graeme’s eye (one of the bears who has one pale eye). It turns out he and his brother lived near a mine and the miners use to feed them. When the mines got closed however they had no means of food and so when there was some they would fight. Their fighting got worse and worse and Graeme’s brother caught him bad on the face and damaged his eye. Unfortunately, one day the fighting got out of hand and Graeme killed his brother, he was then brought to the sanctuary to live out the rest of his days and have all the food he needs. This was really interesting to find out.
The tour guides are so passionate about the bears and despite doing this every morning all week they never lose the passion for what they are saying about the bears, and I think this is very special. In the afternoon we returned to food prep and yet again sorted through the stacks of meat. Finally, the dogs get more and more trusting each day with us and they all love a good cuddle! Today Cora and Veronique where particularly loving! I’m excited for the rest of the week as always!
Today we had a day off, so we ultimately had a 3-day weekend. This was due to the driver who takes us to the sanctuary having something to do and because Ivy (another bear volunteer) was going paragliding. I went with some of the other girls to watch them paraglide and take some photographs of them. When we got home, we had a well-deserved rest. I also said goodbye to one of my friends I had made here who travelled home that morning. Morgan was working with the Child Care programme and her 3 weeks had come to an end. It was sad saying goodbye but at the same time this is what meeting new people is all about. Later that evening I wandered around town to get some photos of the square at night. Unfortunately, it rained and the outing was short lived, but it was nice to have an explore nevertheless.
Day 11:
Back to work today and today was yet again something new. This morning we went around with a couple of tours, I guess you could say our role was crowed control as it’s important to keep the group together and stop people wandering off on their own and getting too close to the fences etc. People were also asking us some questions which was really nice and I enjoyed answering them! Another great thing about the tour is that despite working there a week and talking to the workers, I still found out new information such as what happened to Graeme’s eye (one of the bears who has one pale eye). It turns out he and his brother lived near a mine and the miners use to feed them. When the mines got closed however they had no means of food and so when there was some they would fight. Their fighting got worse and worse and Graeme’s brother caught him bad on the face and damaged his eye. Unfortunately, one day the fighting got out of hand and Graeme killed his brother, he was then brought to the sanctuary to live out the rest of his days and have all the food he needs. This was really interesting to find out.
The tour guides are so passionate about the bears and despite doing this every morning all week they never lose the passion for what they are saying about the bears, and I think this is very special. In the afternoon we returned to food prep and yet again sorted through the stacks of meat. Finally, the dogs get more and more trusting each day with us and they all love a good cuddle! Today Cora and Veronique where particularly loving! I’m excited for the rest of the week as always!
Day 13
Today we tackled both meat and dairy as there was lots of them both! Nothing out of the ordinary happened today so we just enjoying the view of the wolves and bears playing happily with one another! Just as we were leaving the heavens opened however and we were running to the car in the thunder and lightning getting soaked through, we got home and all had hot showers which felt amazing!
That evening was another goodbye meal for the remaining three volunteers who had arrived before me. Ivy who has just completed her second week, Nikita who had completed her third week and Saskia who had completed a full four weeks. We ate in a traditional Romanian restaurant just in the old square called Casa Romanesca, this was everyone’s first traditional Romanian meal and we were all very happy and enjoyed the meal. We then moved onto the modern square and had some drinks in the Irish Pub called Deane’s where the music and atmosphere was great. I have to say that all the girls I have met here have been truly amazing. We have all bonded and gelled amazingly and I never thought I would make such great friends so quickly. Even when the days are a bit long and tiring knowing your close friends are only a door knock away was so comforting and this is just after two weeks of knowing each other. We are actually planning a reunion sometime next year which will be great. When we returned home we all pretty much collapsed into bed after a long tiring day!
Day 14
Well I can’t actually believe that I am half way through my adventure here! 2 weeks ago today I arrived very much looking forward to the experience, fourteen days on and I say ‘bring on the rest’. I am absolutely loving my time here and it is just going so quickly! Today’s work was the same as yesterdays, but a lot wetter… today it rained continuously and we were all soaked and a little cold, but the bears cheered us all up! We returned home and cleaned a little as the new volunteers will be arriving shortly. We will be taking them for their Italian welcome meal which is what I was received this time 2 weeks ago. I am looking forward to making some more new and great friends!
Day 15
Today was my first day with the new volunteers and it was very nice. Hannah and Jon are both very passionate about bears like me and it’s so nice to talk about and get excited about it together. As it was their first proper night myself and Miriam took them for a little tour around the town just so they go their bearings. We went to the Irish pub ‘Deans’ and really got to know each other over a couple of drinks. After that we were pretty lively so I introduced them to the ‘Times’ club. It was such a good atmosphere and had all the songs we knew so we stayed there and danced for a few hours before come home to bed.
Day 16
Today was my first sleep in since getting to Romania, and it was well needed! We had told Hannah and Jon about the paragliding we did and we must have sold it to them pretty well as they ended up doing that today! While they were doing that I wandered around the town and got a couple of images and came back to the flat. When the other two were home, myself and Hannah went shopping and Hannah bought a traditional Romanian style top which is what I had bought last week… They are very cool! We came home and chilled out for the rest of the evening, I am hoping to photograph some starts tonight from our back garden which could look very cool!
Day 17
Today was our first day with the new volunteers. It was really cool being able to show them the ropes and see the excitement on their faces when they saw the bears in the trees and the wolves right up close. Today we were on meat, and they were thrown in the at the deep end, they thought the smell was fowl but I assured them that it wouldn’t be long until they are used to it. The amazing thing that happened today was meeting Christina Lapis properly. She was here with some other people showing them around the sanctuary and we had a good conversation about the work being done here. She was so grateful for us being there which honestly felt amazing, but for us we were the ones who were grateful to her for doing what she has done. I am so inspired and in awe of her, her work and her beliefs that I had butterflies when we were speaking, it was just like meeting a celebrity.
Later on the heavens opened and we had yet another thunder storm which brought the temperature right down however we were fine working hard in the food prep room. All in all, today was a great day! I plan to photograph the stars in the garden this evening so fingers crossed the weather stays dry!
Day 18
Today was dairy! We had a bit of a wait before we could start any food prep today because there were no containers for the food to go in. While we were waiting however we took full advantage of free time and cuddled all the dogs and the goats! And watched the bears in the trees. Once the containers arrived we all worked outside which was a lot better than being inside on such a nice day. The guys at the sanctuary as so kind and thoughtful they had noticed we were outside yesterday and when we had arrived there was mounds of food prep just waiting to be done outside.
After lunch which we decided to eat outside because of the beautiful weather, we went back and helped out with fruit and veg. We had a real laugh with the guys and we had a completion to see who could peel the corn the fastest. I then took a bunch on bananas out to give to the goats because we have recently discovered that they love this! We then came home and relaxed and showered. I think today I have come back the smelliest due to Hannah (another volunteer) stabbing a yogurt and it spraying all over my face and clothes, but it’s all good fun! Tonight we are planning what we are doing for mine, Jon’s and Miriam’s last weekend, chilling out and having a movie night!
Day 19
Dairy and meat today! Today was quite quiet with not a lot of food so in between filling crates we would photograph the bears that were coming very close! It truly breaks my heart knowing that these bears have had such a difficult start to their lives. Today and yesterday I have had two encounters where I have sat for around half an hour looking right into the bears eyes. I was so close that the bears are breathing on my face. Sitting and watching one of the female bears yesterday where she sat then laid down right in front of me was an experience I will never forget. The bears have so much land to roam around but this individual chose to stay there when I sat in front of her. She had experienced abuse beyond imagine and suffered in the years before she arrived at the sanctuary all at the hands of humans. Despite this the bear seemed to accept me and just look at me. I felt ashamed that a fellow human could be so cruel. Today the two younger bears near the food prep room sat and watched us peacefully while we were working. These two were brought here from Armenia and were kept in terrible conditions in a zoo. They will never grow bigger because of this. Despite this, they sniffed us and stayed with us for about an hour before running around to play. Each day I get to know the bears a little bit more, the more rewarding the work is. I know I’m contributing to the happiness of their lives and it actually feels amazing! Tomorrow is going to watch the feeding again which I’m really looking forward to! It’s so great!
Day 20
Today was another great day at the sanctuary, but the most tiring by far. We went around to watch the feeding, this was my second time watching the feeding and the first time for Hannah and Jon. Because there were four of us however, we had to walk around the enclosure behind the truck… The sanctuary has some very very steep inclines! We did this all morning and then went back to food prep where we did some meat and veg. A lot of the time I was trying to take the baby goat back to its mother because it kept running up to us and playing with us which is very cool!
Tonight we are going out for a meal, introducing the newbies to a traditional Romanian restaurant so we will see how that goes. This weakened has forecast very heavy thunderstorms so we are probably going to check out the shopping centre on one of the days and I’m not sure what we will do on the other.
I can’t believe that this is my last weekend in Romania and it is starting to hit home now that I am only with these bears for another 4 more days before I head back to GB!
Day 21
Saturday was well and truly a chill out day! I wandered around the town and bought my souvenirs for back home! It was raining on and off so there isn’t much to report. In the evening we went out for a couple of drinks at Deane’s and then, of course, we ended up in ‘Times’. We got back to the flat in the early hours and had a great night!
Day 22
As I mentioned in a blog a few days ago we did pay a visit to the shopping mall which was great. I bought some clothes as did Miriam and Jon. Hannah had met up with some friends in Brasov and we came together at night. The mall was great and only 10 lei between three of us in a taxi there which is so cheap!! That night we all collapsed into bed and slept a long time!
Day 23
Wow, my last Monday… It’s sad thinking it’s my last week however I know all good things must come to an end. Today was a real tiring day! The weather wasn’t that great either. We were on dairy and ‘pate’ today. We literally had to empty thousands of cans of pate into the creates for feeding, honestly all our fingers were killing us but the treat of seeing the bears and wolves playing was more than enough encouragement to get us through it. We were also able to go up onto the photography platform today which was incredible. This gives a great view of the big main enclosure, and a sneak peak of the four month old cubs and max etc. The view was breath-taking! That night we decided to order a Chinese takeaway and watch a film, it was such a great chilled out night!
Day 24
Today we were on dairy again and luckily, no pate. For some reason the bears were all quite agitated today but I think it was because it was taking a while for feeding due to the weather and so on. There isn’t much to report today, however it was another really good day!
Day 22
Well, today was officially my last full day at the sanctuary, tomorrow I will be working but just in the morning due to our driver having other commitments which require him to be at the airport early. Despite this I will still have a brilliant day. Today however we had the morning doing tours from 9-12 which were exhausting but great! It’s crazy seeing so many people can fit in one location but it’s all worth it to fund the bears being there! We were basically on crowed control and making sure everyone stuck with the right group and so on. Lots of people had questions too which is always fun to answer with the knowledge we have gained over the past few weeks. Once we had finished, we had lunch and then went to food prep where we did dairy. The bears and wolves were active and so were the dogs and especially the goats who, in particular the baby, gets more and more cheeky each day jumping up on us like dogs! But she’s lovely.
Day 23
I’m very sad that tomorrow is my last day and night here in Romania, but I have to say that I have loved every second of it. As this was my first time travelling alone, I never thought I would click with new people so well and over such a short period of time, but out of both groups I know I have made friendships that will last a life time! I am going to miss this place and every single one of the people at the sanctuary who all accept you into the family. This is what the bear sanctuary is, one big family who provide so much love for the bears and all their colleagues, and who were so accepting of us all. I know I will come back here sometime in the future because the work he is so rewarding!
I would just like to encourage anyone of you who is reading this blog now to throw yourself into this project or any of the Oyster projects around the world. You will not regret a minute of it. I’d like to thank Anne for setting everything up and making this happen and Razvan who never fails to put a smile on my face when we see him! You rock Razzle!
Today we tackled both meat and dairy as there was lots of them both! Nothing out of the ordinary happened today so we just enjoying the view of the wolves and bears playing happily with one another! Just as we were leaving the heavens opened however and we were running to the car in the thunder and lightning getting soaked through, we got home and all had hot showers which felt amazing!
That evening was another goodbye meal for the remaining three volunteers who had arrived before me. Ivy who has just completed her second week, Nikita who had completed her third week and Saskia who had completed a full four weeks. We ate in a traditional Romanian restaurant just in the old square called Casa Romanesca, this was everyone’s first traditional Romanian meal and we were all very happy and enjoyed the meal. We then moved onto the modern square and had some drinks in the Irish Pub called Deane’s where the music and atmosphere was great. I have to say that all the girls I have met here have been truly amazing. We have all bonded and gelled amazingly and I never thought I would make such great friends so quickly. Even when the days are a bit long and tiring knowing your close friends are only a door knock away was so comforting and this is just after two weeks of knowing each other. We are actually planning a reunion sometime next year which will be great. When we returned home we all pretty much collapsed into bed after a long tiring day!
Day 14
Well I can’t actually believe that I am half way through my adventure here! 2 weeks ago today I arrived very much looking forward to the experience, fourteen days on and I say ‘bring on the rest’. I am absolutely loving my time here and it is just going so quickly! Today’s work was the same as yesterdays, but a lot wetter… today it rained continuously and we were all soaked and a little cold, but the bears cheered us all up! We returned home and cleaned a little as the new volunteers will be arriving shortly. We will be taking them for their Italian welcome meal which is what I was received this time 2 weeks ago. I am looking forward to making some more new and great friends!
Day 15
Today was my first day with the new volunteers and it was very nice. Hannah and Jon are both very passionate about bears like me and it’s so nice to talk about and get excited about it together. As it was their first proper night myself and Miriam took them for a little tour around the town just so they go their bearings. We went to the Irish pub ‘Deans’ and really got to know each other over a couple of drinks. After that we were pretty lively so I introduced them to the ‘Times’ club. It was such a good atmosphere and had all the songs we knew so we stayed there and danced for a few hours before come home to bed.
Day 16
Today was my first sleep in since getting to Romania, and it was well needed! We had told Hannah and Jon about the paragliding we did and we must have sold it to them pretty well as they ended up doing that today! While they were doing that I wandered around the town and got a couple of images and came back to the flat. When the other two were home, myself and Hannah went shopping and Hannah bought a traditional Romanian style top which is what I had bought last week… They are very cool! We came home and chilled out for the rest of the evening, I am hoping to photograph some starts tonight from our back garden which could look very cool!
Day 17
Today was our first day with the new volunteers. It was really cool being able to show them the ropes and see the excitement on their faces when they saw the bears in the trees and the wolves right up close. Today we were on meat, and they were thrown in the at the deep end, they thought the smell was fowl but I assured them that it wouldn’t be long until they are used to it. The amazing thing that happened today was meeting Christina Lapis properly. She was here with some other people showing them around the sanctuary and we had a good conversation about the work being done here. She was so grateful for us being there which honestly felt amazing, but for us we were the ones who were grateful to her for doing what she has done. I am so inspired and in awe of her, her work and her beliefs that I had butterflies when we were speaking, it was just like meeting a celebrity.
Later on the heavens opened and we had yet another thunder storm which brought the temperature right down however we were fine working hard in the food prep room. All in all, today was a great day! I plan to photograph the stars in the garden this evening so fingers crossed the weather stays dry!
Day 18
Today was dairy! We had a bit of a wait before we could start any food prep today because there were no containers for the food to go in. While we were waiting however we took full advantage of free time and cuddled all the dogs and the goats! And watched the bears in the trees. Once the containers arrived we all worked outside which was a lot better than being inside on such a nice day. The guys at the sanctuary as so kind and thoughtful they had noticed we were outside yesterday and when we had arrived there was mounds of food prep just waiting to be done outside.
After lunch which we decided to eat outside because of the beautiful weather, we went back and helped out with fruit and veg. We had a real laugh with the guys and we had a completion to see who could peel the corn the fastest. I then took a bunch on bananas out to give to the goats because we have recently discovered that they love this! We then came home and relaxed and showered. I think today I have come back the smelliest due to Hannah (another volunteer) stabbing a yogurt and it spraying all over my face and clothes, but it’s all good fun! Tonight we are planning what we are doing for mine, Jon’s and Miriam’s last weekend, chilling out and having a movie night!
Day 19
Dairy and meat today! Today was quite quiet with not a lot of food so in between filling crates we would photograph the bears that were coming very close! It truly breaks my heart knowing that these bears have had such a difficult start to their lives. Today and yesterday I have had two encounters where I have sat for around half an hour looking right into the bears eyes. I was so close that the bears are breathing on my face. Sitting and watching one of the female bears yesterday where she sat then laid down right in front of me was an experience I will never forget. The bears have so much land to roam around but this individual chose to stay there when I sat in front of her. She had experienced abuse beyond imagine and suffered in the years before she arrived at the sanctuary all at the hands of humans. Despite this the bear seemed to accept me and just look at me. I felt ashamed that a fellow human could be so cruel. Today the two younger bears near the food prep room sat and watched us peacefully while we were working. These two were brought here from Armenia and were kept in terrible conditions in a zoo. They will never grow bigger because of this. Despite this, they sniffed us and stayed with us for about an hour before running around to play. Each day I get to know the bears a little bit more, the more rewarding the work is. I know I’m contributing to the happiness of their lives and it actually feels amazing! Tomorrow is going to watch the feeding again which I’m really looking forward to! It’s so great!
Day 20
Today was another great day at the sanctuary, but the most tiring by far. We went around to watch the feeding, this was my second time watching the feeding and the first time for Hannah and Jon. Because there were four of us however, we had to walk around the enclosure behind the truck… The sanctuary has some very very steep inclines! We did this all morning and then went back to food prep where we did some meat and veg. A lot of the time I was trying to take the baby goat back to its mother because it kept running up to us and playing with us which is very cool!
Tonight we are going out for a meal, introducing the newbies to a traditional Romanian restaurant so we will see how that goes. This weakened has forecast very heavy thunderstorms so we are probably going to check out the shopping centre on one of the days and I’m not sure what we will do on the other.
I can’t believe that this is my last weekend in Romania and it is starting to hit home now that I am only with these bears for another 4 more days before I head back to GB!
Day 21
Saturday was well and truly a chill out day! I wandered around the town and bought my souvenirs for back home! It was raining on and off so there isn’t much to report. In the evening we went out for a couple of drinks at Deane’s and then, of course, we ended up in ‘Times’. We got back to the flat in the early hours and had a great night!
Day 22
As I mentioned in a blog a few days ago we did pay a visit to the shopping mall which was great. I bought some clothes as did Miriam and Jon. Hannah had met up with some friends in Brasov and we came together at night. The mall was great and only 10 lei between three of us in a taxi there which is so cheap!! That night we all collapsed into bed and slept a long time!
Day 23
Wow, my last Monday… It’s sad thinking it’s my last week however I know all good things must come to an end. Today was a real tiring day! The weather wasn’t that great either. We were on dairy and ‘pate’ today. We literally had to empty thousands of cans of pate into the creates for feeding, honestly all our fingers were killing us but the treat of seeing the bears and wolves playing was more than enough encouragement to get us through it. We were also able to go up onto the photography platform today which was incredible. This gives a great view of the big main enclosure, and a sneak peak of the four month old cubs and max etc. The view was breath-taking! That night we decided to order a Chinese takeaway and watch a film, it was such a great chilled out night!
Day 24
Today we were on dairy again and luckily, no pate. For some reason the bears were all quite agitated today but I think it was because it was taking a while for feeding due to the weather and so on. There isn’t much to report today, however it was another really good day!
Day 22
Well, today was officially my last full day at the sanctuary, tomorrow I will be working but just in the morning due to our driver having other commitments which require him to be at the airport early. Despite this I will still have a brilliant day. Today however we had the morning doing tours from 9-12 which were exhausting but great! It’s crazy seeing so many people can fit in one location but it’s all worth it to fund the bears being there! We were basically on crowed control and making sure everyone stuck with the right group and so on. Lots of people had questions too which is always fun to answer with the knowledge we have gained over the past few weeks. Once we had finished, we had lunch and then went to food prep where we did dairy. The bears and wolves were active and so were the dogs and especially the goats who, in particular the baby, gets more and more cheeky each day jumping up on us like dogs! But she’s lovely.
Day 23
I’m very sad that tomorrow is my last day and night here in Romania, but I have to say that I have loved every second of it. As this was my first time travelling alone, I never thought I would click with new people so well and over such a short period of time, but out of both groups I know I have made friendships that will last a life time! I am going to miss this place and every single one of the people at the sanctuary who all accept you into the family. This is what the bear sanctuary is, one big family who provide so much love for the bears and all their colleagues, and who were so accepting of us all. I know I will come back here sometime in the future because the work he is so rewarding!
I would just like to encourage anyone of you who is reading this blog now to throw yourself into this project or any of the Oyster projects around the world. You will not regret a minute of it. I’d like to thank Anne for setting everything up and making this happen and Razvan who never fails to put a smile on my face when we see him! You rock Razzle!